It’s something you can figure out with just a bit of thought.

Why Sejong refuses the Zombie King—IAmJesus.

It’s true that IAmJesus possesses a more powerful authority as an Awakened than King does.

However, Sejong has grown into a far larger and more powerful city than it was when King first named IAmJesus as his successor.

Refugees who left Seoul and Incheon, refugees who came up from Jeolla and Gyeongsang, people from Daejeon, which is quietly falling apart next door, and North Koreans whose hometowns can’t be disclosed—but whose origins are unmistakably clear.

Unlike Seoul or Jeju, King accepted people from nearly all classes and backgrounds.

As a result, the city’s estimated population has well surpassed 300,000, and when including small allied communities, it now stands close to half a million—reborn as a colossal entity.

A city this highly centralized naturally requires bureaucrats, and the bureaucrats—those with book-smarts—have taken over the city’s key positions.

In other words, the city is run by people who won’t acknowledge someone just for having power alone.

Of course, some of them harbor ambitions of succeeding King. That much is undeniable.

But for the entire city—not just a few—to act with open hostility toward IAmJesus? That’s a problem far beyond individual lust for power.

Sejong as a whole is not ready to accept IAmJesus.

"The Chinese mercs have gone dark. We don’t know the cause, but something must’ve happened to them.”

“We need to drive them out. We must defend Sejong’s autonomy.”

“There’s no way we can hand everything over to some Seoul bastard now.”

With King in a coma, it’s not out of the question for someone like Ma Ha-min, one of his closest aides, to seize control of the army.

Boom! Ka-BOOM!

Shells rain down on the city.

Fire blooms. The ground trembles.

We have to get out.

But it seems my friend is in worse shape than he appears.

IAmJesus’s complexion looks terrible.

His sunken eyes and hollow gaze, I’d already noticed. But now, his body’s starting to twitch in minor convulsions.

“S-Skelton. I feel... really sleepy all of a sudden...”

Suddenly, IAmJesus shudders, his eyes roll back, and he collapses.

I caught him just in time.

Had I been a second slower, the back of his head would’ve smashed against the sharp edge of the stairs.

A surprisingly common cause of death, even before the war.

“IAmJesus!”

I slapped his cheek and checked his vitals.

Thank God.

He’s still breathing.

It appears to be a temporary loss of consciousness caused by some kind of unknown shock.

Thoom! Thudoom!

But things aren’t looking good.

The bombardment is targeting our area.

And the Defender’s team isn’t faring much better.

“Skelton! What’s going on?! They’re trying to attack us!”

I slung IAmJesus over my shoulder and barely managed to operate the transmitter.

“I’ve secured IAmJesus. I’m heading back now.”

“Okay! For now, they’re just staging a protest—trying to drive us off. They’ve launched a bunch of drones to intimidate us, so it should be fine for a while. But get back as fast as you can.”

“Copy.”

I left the street full of capsules behind.

The shelling progressed steadily from the outskirts of the city toward the center, like the god of explosions was marching step by step, pounding every district in turn.

Soon, the blasts would reach here.

Do they even realize how many capsules are in this area?

Once we crossed the blockade the fanatics had built, the zombies started to reappear.

Still, maybe because he’s the Zombie King, the zombies didn’t react much to seeing IAmJesus.

Wandering lost in the downpour of fire, they seemed unsure where to go—but soon they’d swarm together and head somewhere.

At least IAmJesus is light.

If he’d been a regular adult male, this would’ve been harder.

Especially after a battle like the one we just survived, I’d be pushing the limits of my stamina.

We sprinted out of the city of zombies wrapped in flames.

“Defender. We’re almost out of the city.”

“Okay.”

The first to greet me was a drone.

“Skelton sighted! The one ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) on your back—is that IAmJesus?”

“Yeah.”

“Surprisingly good hair, huh.”

Soon, several other drones joined it and hovered above us.

Somehow, that made me feel safer.

The zombies were now heading south.

Toward the city.

It’s a shame, but this was Sejong’s decision.

I kept moving, leaving behind the burning city.

“Skelton.”

IAmJesus’s voice came from behind me.

Looks like he’d regained consciousness.

“Is it true? That King is dying?”

“Yeah. He’s lost consciousness. Soon, he’ll lose himself entirely.”

“I see. So it’s true, then.”

“Whatever that fanatic said—don’t believe a word of it. It’s all lies.”

“But the package King sent... it had bacteria in it...”

“King’s been in poor health for a long time. Maybe even before he came to see you. Someone else could’ve tampered with the package.”

“Is that... so?”

“Seems like they don’t want you to become the new King.”

“...”

IAmJesus fell silent.

He must feel it too.

Now, we could see the city’s edge.

VROOOOOMMMMMMM—

A heavy engine roar sliced through the night air from the edge of the city.

It was Defender.

He gestured from the driver’s seat of his off-road-modified supercar.

“What are you doing? Get in, quick.”

VROOOOOOOOOOMMMMM—

Defender’s new ride.

All bark, no bite.

Sure, it’s a flashy supercar, but we’re on open plains, not even proper off-road terrain. It barely hits 60km/h, so does it really need to be that loud?

As I was mulling that over, Defender asked: 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

“So, what now?”

Through the rearview mirror, I could see his eyes.

I knew what he was thinking.

We’d both come to the same conclusion.

“...Shouldn’t we just go back to the city after all?”

That’s the only real answer, isn’t it?

Defender let out a faint sigh and nodded.

“So you’re thinking that too? I mean, I did promise King, but there’s no way I can fight the entire city. I’m not afraid of battle—but I’m still technically under contract with Seoul. No point shedding blood if it’s just my men who’ll bleed.”

And then suddenly, IAmJesus jumped out of the car.

“Hey, IAmJesus? What are you doing?!”

He started running toward the city and shouted back:

“No. I have to go. I have to ask him myself!”

“Ask who?!”

“King! I have to see him!”

“You can’t go alone!”

“I’m not going alone!”

Before I could say anything, a powerful shockwave erupted from IAmJesus’s body.

BOOM!

The entire city shuddered.

The zombies heading toward the city suddenly turned and began moving toward us.

Defender looked at me.

“What do we do?”

“We fall back, for now.”

IAmJesus’s sudden move had changed the situation.

The zombie horde gathered around him.

An uncountable army formed tight formations and began a slow advance toward the city.

It was exactly as it seemed.

IAmJesus was going to see King.

But knowing he couldn’t do it alone, he was going to use his army.

Naturally, Sejong’s army blocked the road.

We took up position on one side of the plain, quietly gauging the mood, looking for the right timing or angle for negotiation.

“Damn it. What the hell is going on?”

“I don’t know.”

“Whatever it is, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Shit! A ton of monsters just popped up inside the city!”

“From the shelling? We didn’t hear anything about that! Deputy Commander Ma Ha-min! What the hell is this? Didn’t you say King gave the order?!”

Everything was chaos.

No one could make sense of the situation.

Lies, conspiracies, misunderstandings, good intentions, ignorance—a whirlpool of contradictions churned across the field.

The only clear fact was this:

Three factions had gathered on the plains facing Sejong.

IAmJesus’s zombie army. Defender’s private troops. And Sejong’s own military.

But things weren’t good.

The zombie horde was closing in, Sejong’s army was on alert against both us and the zombies, and now we could finally distinguish the private armies of various power brokers—who had all taken aim.

Only Defender’s patience was barely preventing an all-out war.

But this couldn’t go on.

The problem was, no one could resolve this situation.

Except for one person.

“What the hell are you all doing?!”

A voice rang out.

It carried enough weight to end a standoff that might have lasted indefinitely.

Everyone turned to the south.

As the eastern sky began to brighten, a man walked across the wilderness.

Wearing a sharp, elegant suit that was both tidy and subtly ornate.

Though gaunt, his tall frame and long limbs gave off an imposing yet noble presence—enhanced by an aura of dignity that radiated from his very being.

A lion mask.

And the eyes gleaming beneath it.

King.

The King of Sejong.

“No one fights here without my permission. This is my land. My city, built by my power, by my will. Who dares to start a war on my doorstep without my consent?”

Is there anyone else in this world who could stop thousands of soldiers with just a loudspeaker?

There is.

King can.

Amid silence—or perhaps reverence—King approached us.

The mud on his shoes and the dirtied hems of his pants didn’t matter in the slightest.

He ruled this battlefield with sheer presence alone.

King looked north.

To where the Zombie King, IAmJesus, stood.

He roared into the loudspeaker like thunder.

“Dong-pil!”

Yeah.

That was IAmJesus’s real name.

Seldom used, but that’s who he was.

And with that one word, another kind of magic was sparked.

IAmJesus stepped out from the sea of zombies.

King approached him.

IAmJesus didn’t avoid him—but he didn’t meet his eyes either.

He turned his head slightly, waiting reluctantly.

But he didn’t run.

That, to me, meant everything.

“Weren’t you supposed to take over after me?!”

“...”

“We made a promise, man! Just us guys!”

King reached out and tapped IAmJesus on the shoulder.

But he staggered.

I reflexively bolted forward—but someone else caught him before he fell.

IAmJesus.

His bony hand held King up.

Right. He used to be a youth in his prime, too.

King, briefly unconscious, steadied himself.

“You little shit... I don’t have much time left. Soon, I won’t even remember you. But still—”

King turned south.

He looked at his city.

“That place... I can’t forget it. Do you know what it took to build it? I don’t have any kids, but I’d give up my own child for that city.”

“King.”

IAmJesus looked at him endlessly.

His misty eyes foretold the future.

King lifted his mask just a little.

But the sunlight caught his face, hiding it from all but one person.

His heir—IAmJesus.

“I’m counting on you, Dong-pil.”

“...Hyung.”

His tone changed.

King nodded and pulled his mask back down.

The King looked at his army.

“From now on, this city will be entrusted to this man, the Zombie King.”

The soldiers, who had been on edge, lowered their weapons and saluted in unison.

But the private armies of other power players were less enthusiastic.

King nudged IAmJesus and said:

“Hey. Show them.”

He looked north again.

A swarm of monsters was closing in.

Newly awakened capsule-types, traveling in packs, shambling toward the city—maybe even toward us.

“Show them your worth.”

IAmJesus hesitated for a moment, then nodded with an uncharacteristically confident smile.

“XSS!”

A weirdly out-of-place battle cry.

But it made King burst out laughing.

And in that roar of laughter, the final bell tolled.

BOOM!

Over Level 10 Awakened.

The pulse of one most beloved by the gods spread outward.

Woooooooooo—

The city began to seethe.

Soon, the monsters would become my nourishment.

Bathed in the rising sun, the King of Sejong gazed steadily southward.

*

“Excuse me, what kind of person was King?”

Moon Yang-gyeong, who had been sparkling with curiosity ever since entering Sejong, asked.

“If I’m being unkind, a dictator. If I’m being generous, a king.”

“A king, huh.”

Moon Yang-gyeong slowly repeated the word, like she was tasting its meaning.

Soon, she looked up at me with eyes faintly glowing with a light as gentle as King’s own.

“What kind of king was he?”

“Hmm.”

When evaluating monarchs, we often use labels like wise king, tyrant, or incompetent ruler—but in this case?

King was as complex as his own identity.

A zombie who still retained his human self, he carried both the temperament of a despot and the qualities of a wise sovereign.

If you only looked at the Machiavellian cunning and ruthless schemes he employed while ruling Sejong, you’d call him a cold, crafty ruler.

But what he achieved is an undeniable truth.

“Just look at what he left behind.”

The city speaks for itself.

It tells you exactly what kind of king he was.

Moon Yang-gyeong nodded and turned her gaze to the city—more vibrant and filled with hope than even Seoul.

In the plaza, preparations for the funeral were underway.

The new king, with his head and beard shaved, lit the pyre.

The fire slowly consumed the silken-wrapped king atop the stacked logs.

We all watched.

Maybe it was just my imagination, but before the flames completely engulfed him, I swear—he turned his head.

Turned to look sideways.

As if trying to imprint his city into his eyes one last time.

A single lantern went out.

But the city’s lights would burn for a long, long time.